초록 ▼

A chemical transport process which is enhanced by a plasma formed in a substantially oxygen free hydrogen environment for formation of microcrystalline diamond films at a relatively low deposition temperature and a rate of about 1 .mu.m/hr. The process, performed at 80 to 180 Torr and a current dens

A chemical transport process which is enhanced by a plasma formed in a substantially oxygen free hydrogen environment for formation of microcrystalline diamond films at a relatively low deposition temperature and a rate of about 1 .mu.m/hr. The process, performed at 80 to 180 Torr and a current density of about 1 amp/cm.sup.2 of substrate, can be scaled to deposit films on large areas. The invention further comprises doped diamond films produced by the process, said product having a well-faceted microcrystalline structure with x-ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectra indicative of a predominately diamond structure. The doped diamond films can function as n-type and p-type semiconductors.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A plasma enhanced chemical transport process for the formation of a diamond film on a substrate, the substrate being located on or near an anode in a dc circuit, the substrate being spaced from a carbon cathode and the anode, the substrate and the cathode being located wi

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A plasma enhanced chemical transport process for the formation of a diamond film on a substrate, the substrate being located on or near an anode in a dc circuit, the substrate being spaced from a carbon cathode and the anode, the substrate and the cathode being located within a vacuum chamber consisting essentially of the steps of:a.) positioning the substrate at a distance from a lower surface of the cathode to form a gap of from about 0.4 to about 1.0 cm,b.) evacuating substantially all of the gases from the vacuum chamber and then introducing sufficient substantially pure hydrogen gas into the chamber to bring the pressure in the chamber to the range from about 80 Torr to about 180 Torr, andc.) applying a dc current to the circuit and across the gap between the anode and the cathode without the addition of an electron assisted discharge to form a hydrogen plasma in the gap, the current density at an upper surface of the anode being from about 0.5 to about 4.0 amp/cm.sup.2.